Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt poses for a photo with the bill he signed in April, making it a felony to perform an abortion, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.Sue Ogrocki/AP
Now that the Supreme Court has officially overturned Roe v. Wade, near-total abortion bans are springing into effect across the nation in the form of “trigger laws.”
Oklahoma—which didn’t even wait for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe—has already banned abortion. Immediate abortion bans have also come into effect in Kentucky, Louisiana, and South Dakota, according to the Guttmacher Institute. The trigger laws in Idaho, Tennessee, and Texas will take 30 days to come into effect. If you have an abortion scheduled in one of these states, you still have a very limited amount of time to undergo the procedure.
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Meanwhile, trigger laws in Arkansas, Mississippi, Missouri, North Dakota, Utah, and Wyoming require an extra step to come into effect—typically certification by an attorney general—which could take place at any second.
Oklahoma also has a trigger law pending certification on the books, which could soon overlap the six-week civil ban already in effect.
Here’s what has been announced by state officials so far.
Arkansas
Arkansas requires the attorney general to take actions to certify that abortion law has changed to enact the trigger law. Attorney General Leslie Rutledge has announced in a press release she will do so at a ceremony this afternoon.
Idaho
Idaho’s abortion ban will come into effect in 30 days.
Kentucky
Kentucky’s trigger law has come into effect.
Louisiana
Louisiana’s trigger law has come into effect.
Mississippi
Mississippi requires the attorney general to take actions to certify that abortion law has changed to enact the trigger law. At the time of publication, no announcement has been made.
Missouri
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt has already certified the ban in his state, enshrining it into law.
North Dakota
North Dakota’s abortion ban will come into effect soon. First, the attorney general has to reaffirm to the legislative council that a ban is now constitutional. Then the legislative council has to certify that recommendation. At the time of publication, no announcement has been made.
Oklahoma
Oklahoma passed a law banning abortion after six weeks before the Dobbs decision was handed down. An additional ban requires certification from the Attorney General. Shortly after Roe was overturned, Oklahoma Attorney General John O’Connor wrote that he wanted “to thank the Supreme Court for returning decision-making power to the people,” calling today a day for “celebration and thanksgiving.” However, at the time of publication, no announcement has been made.
Tennessee
Tennessee’s abortion ban will come into effect in 30 days.
Texas
Texas’s abortion ban will come into effect in 30 days.
South Dakota
South Dakota’s abortion ban has come into effect.
Utah
Utah’s abortion ban comes into effect when the legislative counsel certifies the legislature’s ability to ban abortion. At the time of publication, no announcement has been made.
Wyoming
Wyoming’s abortion ban requires the certification of the attorney general and then the governor. After certification, the ban will come into effect in five days.
This is a breaking news post, and things are changing rapidly. We’ll update with more information as it becomes available.
